1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trailer hitch guide mirror for facilitating the positioning of a tow vehicle hitch member in proper alignment with the corresponding member located on the trailer during the coupling of the vehicle and trailer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of hitches are available for connecting a trailer to a tow vehicle. Most of these hitches consist of a hitch member rigidly secured to the lower portion of the tow vehicle and a mating hitch member rigidly secured to the lower portion of the trailer.
Since such hitch members are affixed to the lower portions of their respective vehicles, the person operating the tow vehicle may find it difficult, if not impossible, to view the hitch members during the alignment process. Consequently, the tow vehicle operator must often make numerous coupling attempts before the trailer and tow vehicle are properly aligned for coupling. As such, it is advantageous for the tow vehicle operator to view the hitch members during the alignment process thereby making the coupling process more efficient.
Several devices have been suggested in the prior art which allow the tow vehicle operator to view the hitch members during the alignment process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,606 to Granno shows a mirror assembly in which the mirror is secured to a trailer and adjusted to allow the operator of the tow vehicle to clearly view the hitch member affixed to the trailer. The viewing position of the mirror is adjustable through the use of telescoping members which horizontally and vertically displace the mirror from the trailer. Such telescoping members are secured to the trailer using mounting means which mount to the gas tanks located on the trailer. Other such devices are known in the prior art (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. to Dietrich 3,295,914, Penk 3,332,731, Strohmeier 3,524,701, and Lowell, Jr. 3,858,966). However, all such devices heretofore known in the art address the unique problems inherent in mounting the mirror to the trailer.